Bhagavad Gita · 12.15 · The Yoga of Devotion·15 of 20
यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः।हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः ॥
yasmān nodvijate loko lokān nodvijate cha yaḥ
harṣhāmarṣha-bhayodvegair mukto yaḥ sa cha me priyaḥ
Sanskrit recitation
The devotee’s everyday virtues · 12.13–12.20 · Teaching
Translation
He whom the world does not agitate, and who cannot be agitated by the world, and who is freed from joy, anger, fear, and anxiety—he is dear to Me.
Meaning
Harsha Joy, exhilaration of the mind when one obtains an object of desire. This is indicated by hair standing on end, tears flowing down the face, etc.Amarsha Anger. Some say that it is a mixture of jealousy and anger.Udvega Anxiety, worry, sorrow, discomfiture.The knower of Brahman or the devotee of the Lord never injures any creature in thought, word and deed. He gives security of life to all creatures. Therefore, no creature is afraid of him. The sage feels that the world is his body, his own Self. How can he be afraid of the world then He never hurts others and is not hurt by the words or deeds of others.The mental modifications of joy, envy, fear and anxiety leave the sage or devotee of their own accord, just as the beasts and birds leave the forest when it is on fire.Such a sage or devotee is dear to Me. How can I describe him
After Swami Sivananda
The devotee’s everyday virtues· 12.13–12.20→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 12.13He who hates no creature, is friendly and compassionate to all, is free from attachment and egoism, is balanced in pleasure and pain, and is forgiving.
- 12.14Ever content, steady in meditation, self-controlled, possessing firm conviction, with the mind and intellect dedicated to Me, he, My devotee, is dear to Me.
12.15He whom the world does not agitate, and who cannot be agitated by the world, and who is freed from joy, anger, fear, and anxiety—he is dear to Me.
- 12.16He who is free from wants, pure, expert, unconcerned, and free from pain, renouncing all undertakings and commencements, he who is devoted to Me is dear to Me.
- 12.17He who neither rejoices nor hates, nor grieves nor desires, renouncing both good and evil, and who is full of devotion, is dear to Me.
- 12.18He who is the same to foe and friend, and also in honor and dishonor, who is the same in cold and heat, in pleasure and pain, and who is free from attachment.
- 12.19He to whom censure and praise are equal, who is silent, content with anything, homeless, of a steady mind, and full of devotion; that man is dear to me.
- 12.20They who follow this immortal Dharma, endowed with faith and regarding Me as their supreme goal, are exceedingly dear to Me.
Word-by-word→
- me
- to me
- na
- not
- cha
- and
- bhaya
- fear
- saḥ
- they
- yaḥ
- who
- lokāt
- from people
- lokaḥ
- people
- yasmāt
- by whom
- harṣha
- pleasure
- muktaḥ
- freed
- priyaḥ
- very dear
- udvijate
- are disturbed
- amarṣha
- pain
- udvegaiḥ
- anxiety
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